1) What are the training requirements for this position? The minimum education requirement is a master degree in counseling. A doctoral degree is becoming a requirement as well. In Texas, after completing the course requirements individuals must complete a 300 hour supervised practicum with 100 hours of direct service with clients. Then the state board Exam is taken and if passed, one is required to complete 3000hour supervised post-graduate internship completed in no less than 18 months.
2)What is the difference between a counselor, psychologist or mental health counselor? There are different types of counselors nowadays. The term is loosely used—for example, you have financial aid counselors on campus,academic counselor, and career counselors. A professional counselor focuses on the development, prevention, and treatment of persons, groups, family and systems seeking healthy life-stage transitions, and productive lives free from disorders. A psychologist uses psychological knowledge, conducts research, performs tests to solve problems and evaluates full range of emotional and psychological issues such as mental illness. Also works as social scientist and may teach at colleges or universities.
3)What are the places of employment for a professional counselor? Most licensed professionals work in private practices,family service centers, group practices, health Maintenance organizations(HMOs), hospitals, and government agencies. A 40-hour work-week is standard,with some evenings and weekend hours required for the convenience of clients.
4) What type of clients do you work with? Colleges and Universities nowadays have a very strong population of students with various multicultural backgrounds. I’ve worked with students with various American backgrounds and international students. And whenever I notice the increase in the number of a particular group coming for counseling, I improve on my knowledge base for the group by reading and researching to know more about the group.
5)What are the qualities of a College counselor? A college counselor should be able to empathize with students, have patience, be objective, have sense of humor, knowledgeable, flexible, and have capacity for self-denial.
6)What are the counseling theories you use? I use cognitive behavioral therapy, brief solution focused counseling. I am also eclectic in my approach to counseling students. Being eclectic, I'm able to know which part of a theory to use and the part to eliminate during counseling sessions.
7) What creative and innovative counseling techniques do you use? I use arts as means to get the clients express thoughts and feelings. Sometimes, I ask clients to draw, paint and interpret the piece. I also use board games, which help clients to relax , identify, discuss feelings, and clarify issues, relating to their problems.
8)Do you conduct tests and assessments with students and do you refer students to other agencies?
I do not conduct such tests and assessments. I counsel the person as a whole and I do refer students to the Burke Center if there are needs to do so.
9)How do you handle stress? I have great colleagues that we lend to each other. I attend monthly meetings and getaways. I engage in all forms of physical activities like running and workouts. I also have a loving husband that I spend time with.
10) How do you develop yourself professionally? Professionally, I attend clinical meetings, training sessions and conferences. I take some courses and read journals to improve my knowledge base in areas related to counseling. I also like reading about general topics.
11) Job Outlook: How many people are currently employed in this field and what is the current demand? College counseling falls under Educational, Vocational and School Counseling. The projected job outlook for this group is 314,400 for the year 2018. This is a 14% increase compared to the 2008 projection which is more than average for all occupations. Budget constraints at every school and college may dampen the job growth for this group, we hope that Federal grants and financial supports from the government will help to make up for tight budgets and allow the reduction in student-to-counselor ratios.
12)What is the income range of a college counselor? Median annual wages of educational, vocational, and school counselors is $51,050. The middle 50percent earned between $38,740 and $65,360. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,360, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,330. These counselors can earn additional income by working summers in the within and outside the system in other jobs. Median annual wages in the industries (private) employing the largest numbers of educational, vocational, and school counselors can be higher than these figures.
13)What are the Professional organizations for this specialty? There are many professional organizations for licensed professional counselor. There are organizations specifically for college counselor these include: Texas College Counseling (TCCA), American college counseling Association (ACCA), American College Health Association (ACHA). Other professional organizations include:American Counseling Association (ACA), and Texas Counseling Association (TCA).
14)What are the current legislative agenda for this specialty/what recent legislative success have they had?
Current legislative issues include:
ACA Urges Veto ofArizona Bill Allowing Religious Discrimination by Counseling Graduate Students04.21.11
ACA President Marcheta Evans wrote to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer recently urging a veto of legislation approved by the state's legislature--HB 2565--which would allow counseling students to refuse to counsel clients with goals "that conflict with the student's sincerely held religious beliefs". The bill would prohibit university counseling graduate programs from disciplining students who refuse clients for religious reasons, as long as the student consults with a supervising instructor or professor to determine the proper course of action to avoid harm to the client. Governor Brewer is expected to either sign or veto the legislation within days.
Senate Bill Would Improve Mental Health Services on CollegeCampuses 07.28.08
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation on July 23rd to improve mental health services on college campuses. The Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act(S. 3311) createsa competitive grant program that would provide funding to colleges to focus on both outreach to identify students with mental health needs and treatment of students coming to counseling centers for help. The grant program is modeled on the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP), which provides competitive grants to K-12 schools to hire more school counselors, schoolpsychologists, school social workers.
Legislation Provides Funds for CollegeCounseling. Reports the introduction of the Campus Care and Counseling Act (H.R.3593) that would fund college mental health counseling programs by Reps. Tom Osborne and Danny Davis (2004).
15)What is the currentresearch in this field?
Current research includes: Research on Understanding and Responding to the Career Counseling Needs of International College Students on U.S. Campuses. Crockett and Hays (2011) derived from current literatures three career needs of international students. These needs are: careerplacement needs, individual factors mediating international student careerneeds and barriers, and help-seeking behaviors. Implications for college counseling professionals and suggested future research directions are discussed.
Research on Mental health of college students.This resulted in a recent survey by the American CollegeCounseling Association found that a majority of students seek help for normalpost-adolescent trouble like romantic heartbreak and identity crises. But 44percent in counseling have severe psychological disorders, up from 16 percentin 2000, and 24 percent are on psychiatric medication, up from 17 percent adecade ago.
Questions & Answers
1) What are the training requirements for this position?The minimum education requirement is a master degree in counseling. A doctoral degree is becoming a requirement as well. In Texas, after completing the course requirements individuals must complete a 300 hour supervised practicum with 100 hours of direct service with clients. Then the state board Exam is taken and if passed, one is required to complete 3000hour supervised post-graduate internship completed in no less than 18 months.
2) What is the difference between a counselor, psychologist or mental health counselor?
There are different types of counselors nowadays. The term is loosely used—for example, you have financial aid counselors on campus,academic counselor, and career counselors. A professional counselor focuses on the development, prevention, and treatment of persons, groups, family and systems seeking healthy life-stage transitions, and productive lives free from disorders. A psychologist uses psychological knowledge, conducts research, performs tests to solve problems and evaluates full range of emotional and psychological issues such as mental illness. Also works as social scientist and may teach at colleges or universities.
3) What are the places of employment for a professional counselor?
Most licensed professionals work in private practices,family service centers, group practices, health Maintenance organizations(HMOs), hospitals, and government agencies. A 40-hour work-week is standard,with some evenings and weekend hours required for the convenience of clients.
4) What type of clients do you work with?
Colleges and Universities nowadays have a very strong population of students with various multicultural backgrounds. I’ve worked with students with various American backgrounds and international students. And whenever I notice the increase in the number of a particular group coming for counseling, I improve on my knowledge base for the group by reading and researching to know more about the group.
5) What are the qualities of a College counselor?
A college counselor should be able to empathize with students, have patience, be objective, have sense of humor, knowledgeable, flexible, and have capacity for self-denial.
6) What are the counseling theories you use?
I use cognitive behavioral therapy, brief solution focused counseling. I am also eclectic in my approach to counseling students. Being eclectic, I'm able to know which part of a theory to use and the part to eliminate during counseling sessions.
7) What creative and innovative counseling techniques do you use?
I use arts as means to get the clients express thoughts and feelings. Sometimes, I ask clients to draw, paint and interpret the piece. I also use board games, which help clients to relax , identify, discuss feelings, and clarify issues, relating to their problems.
8) Do you conduct tests and assessments with students and do you refer students to other agencies?
I do not conduct such tests and assessments. I counsel the person as a whole and I do refer students to the Burke Center if there are needs to do so.
9) How do you handle stress?
I have great colleagues that we lend to each other. I attend monthly meetings and getaways. I engage in all forms of physical activities like running and workouts. I also have a loving husband that I spend time with.
10) How do you develop yourself professionally?
Professionally, I attend clinical meetings, training sessions and conferences. I take some courses and read journals to improve my knowledge base in areas related to counseling. I also like reading about general topics.
11) Job Outlook: How many people are currently employed in this field and what is the current demand?
College counseling falls under Educational, Vocational and School Counseling. The projected job outlook for this group is 314,400 for the year 2018. This is a 14% increase compared to the 2008 projection which is more than average for all occupations. Budget constraints at every school and college may dampen the job growth for this group, we hope that Federal grants and financial supports from the government will help to make up for tight budgets and allow the reduction in student-to-counselor ratios.
12) What is the income range of a college counselor?
Median annual wages of educational, vocational, and school counselors is $51,050. The middle 50percent earned between $38,740 and $65,360. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,360, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,330. These counselors can earn additional income by working summers in the within and outside the system in other jobs. Median annual wages in the industries (private) employing the largest numbers of educational, vocational, and school counselors can be higher than these figures.
13) What are the Professional organizations for this specialty?
There are many professional organizations for licensed professional counselor. There are organizations specifically for college counselor these include: Texas College Counseling (TCCA), American college counseling Association (ACCA), American College Health Association (ACHA). Other professional organizations include:American Counseling Association (ACA), and Texas Counseling Association (TCA).
14) What are the current legislative agenda for this specialty/what recent legislative success have they had?
Current legislative issues include:
ACA Urges Veto ofArizona Bill Allowing Religious Discrimination by Counseling Graduate Students 04.21.11ACA President Marcheta Evans wrote to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer recently urging a veto of legislation approved by the state's legislature--HB 2565--which would allow counseling students to refuse to counsel clients with goals "that conflict with the student's sincerely held religious beliefs". The bill would prohibit university counseling graduate programs from disciplining students who refuse clients for religious reasons, as long as the student consults with a supervising instructor or professor to determine the proper course of action to avoid harm to the client. Governor Brewer is expected to either sign or veto the legislation within days.
Senate Bill Would Improve Mental Health Services on CollegeCampuses07.28.08
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation on July 23rd to improve mental health services on college campuses. The Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act (S. 3311) createsa competitive grant program that would provide funding to colleges to focus on both outreach to identify students with mental health needs and treatment of students coming to counseling centers for help. The grant program is modeled on the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP), which provides competitive grants to K-12 schools to hire more school counselors, schoolpsychologists, school social workers.
Legislation Provides Funds for CollegeCounseling.
Reports the introduction of the Campus Care and Counseling Act (H.R.3593) that would fund college mental health counseling programs by Reps. Tom Osborne and Danny Davis (2004).
15) What is the currentresearch in this field?
Current research includes: Research on Understanding and Responding to the Career Counseling Needs of International College Students on U.S. Campuses. Crockett and Hays (2011) derived from current literatures three career needs of international students. These needs are: careerplacement needs, individual factors mediating international student careerneeds and barriers, and help-seeking behaviors. Implications for college counseling professionals and suggested future research directions are discussed.
Research on Mental health of college students.This resulted in a recent survey by the American CollegeCounseling Association found that a majority of students seek help for normalpost-adolescent trouble like romantic heartbreak and identity crises. But 44percent in counseling have severe psychological disorders, up from 16 percentin 2000, and 24 percent are on psychiatric medication, up from 17 percent adecade ago.